Health insurance premiums to increase

KIGALI - The government, through the Ministry of Health, will pay Mutuelles de Santé (Community-based health insurance) for the poor despite the increment of the annual premium, an official has said. According to the Hertilan Inyarubuga, the National Coordinator of Mutuelles, the annual premiums will increase from the current Rwf 1,000 to between 2,000 and 7,000 depending on the financial capacity of the citizens.. The increment will be effective July 1. Mutuelles de Sante is a national community health insurance programme put in place to facilitate access to health services at low cost. “The increment will depend on a member’s financial capacity, we have categorized three groups; the extremely poor will pay Rwf2, 000 which the government will foot,” Inyarubuga said. He added that the second category, which will have many of the citizens in the country, will pay Rwf 3,000 while the third group will pay Rwf 7,000. The official added that the groups will be categorized through Ubudehe, a government programme aimed at reducing poverty levels with a particular emphasis on poor households across the country. He also noted that those in group two and three will be given the opportunity to pay in instalments.Inyarubuga said the increment is aimed at giving better treatment to all subscribers of Mutuelles and sustain the programme. It currently boasts of membership of over 90 percent of the country’s population and has been praised for the reduction in various diseases among the population. In the same development, the Rwanda Medical Insurance Company (RAMA) is also set to extend its medical cover to parents of its subscribers, and will also continue covering the medical expenses for people who have retired. Ends